Frank Pasternak & Associates S.C. has changed its name to Pasternak & Zirgibel S.C. Please go to www.injurywisconsin.com for more information.

Personal injury attorneys in Wisconsin, as well as other attorneys, should provide answers to important questions like these. The following are questions we suggest you ask before hiring any personal injury attorneys in Wisconsin:

Question: How do I know the firm is good?

Answer: Frank Pasternak was named Best Attorney by CNI Newspapers and is AV rated by his peers, his track record is excellent, see law firm bio and example cases, he he has been interviewed by NBC News, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, and Waukesha Freeman, received America’s Best Lawyers invitation, and WISN’s Bob Dolan recommends Frank Pasternak, his personal injury attorney in Wisconsin.

Question: Do you focus in an area of law?

Answer: Yes, the firm focuses exclusively on personal injury law and personal injury cases. The firm does not dabble in personal injury or practice in other areas. Also, the firm does not have a high volume practice. The cases handled typically involve car accidents, dangerous property, hazardous products or medical malpractice, and injuries like disability, fractures, permanent injury, burns, paralysis, surgery, scarring, disfigurement and wrongful death. A non-exhaustive list of the types of cases handled may be found at Injury cases handled.

Question: Do I need a personal injury attorney in Wisconsin?

Answer: Yes, you almost always need a personal injury attorney in Wisconsin handling your case. You will not save money if you do-it-yourself or hire an attorney in Wisconsin with a general practice. If you do-it-yourself, you will likely lose money. “How to handle a personal injury claim” and do-it-yourself lawyering is a mistake insurers want you to make. Insurance adjusters work hard to keep you from hiring an attorney and will then pay you as little as possible. Insurance company adjusters love do-it-yourself personal injury claims because they can mislead you about the law and what damages are recoverable since a do-it-yourselfer has no idea how to value a claim. Do-it-yourselfers and attorneys who don’t focus on personal injury can’t or won’t take cases to trial and so the insurers fear nothing and pay less since they know such people also miss or ignore critical issues, including subrogation and underinsured motorist coverage, which may cost you even more money. Nearly every Wisconsin personal injury case involves a form of subrogation, lien rights or reimbursement of bills and this puts your rights up against your health insurers, Medicare and/or Medicaid. It is crucial that this is dealt with on your behalf and since insurers don’t work for you, they don’t care about your rights. Insurers like Allstate, American Family Insurance, CNA,Liberty Mutualand Progressive may even send “Do I need a lawyer?” pamphlets or “Customer Service Pledges” because, as shown in an Allstate Claims Manual,those represented by personal injury attorneys settle claims for 2.5-3.5 times more than those who do not have personal injury attorneys.

Question: What do insurance companies and potential defendants want?

Answer: Insurers want your premiums but not your claims. Insurers want valid lawsuits against them to never be pursued and so they fill public opinion with mistruths about our legal system and “too many frivolous lawsuits.” Insurers hope that you will think personal injury lawyers scum and that you’re in good hands their insurance claims adjuster tells you what your claim is worth. They want you to feel guilty for making a legitimate claim, so much so that you tell your lawyer “I’m not the kind of person who files a lawsuit.” Insurance companies want all jurors to think the plaintiff (person filing suit) is a sham, dishonest and insincere. They want wrongdoing to go unchecked and hope people really believe that juries award too much money by talking about “lotteries,” “jackpot justice” and “the McDonald’s case.” Insurers want jury verdicts to award far less damages then what is fair, and just in case a jury awards what is fair, they want caps on damages to minimize how much justice you can get.

Question: What type of matters have you handled professionally in the past?

Question: Do you ever work for insurance companies or defend corporations?

Answer: No.

Question: About how many personal injury and wrongful death cases have you handled?

Answer: This is difficult to estimate but it is fair to estimate that it is in the thousands. Also see Law firm bio.

Question: Is there a fee or charge for my first consultation?

Answer: No. Initial conversations and consultations are free with no obligation or cost whatsoever.

Question: How do you charge ?

Answer: The firm works on a contingent fee.

Question: What is a contingent fee and what do you charge?

Answer: Personal injury attorneys in Wisconsin use a contingent fee under which the firm gets paid if you receive a recovery. The fee charged is a one-third fee unless a matter is highly complex. Personal injury attorneys in Wisconsin have medical malpractice fees governed by Wisconsin law.

Question: Are there any other costs or expenses involved with this type of case?

Answer: Yes. Typically, the primary expenses associated with a personal injury case are litigation costs, fees for medical reports and records and charges made by experts. The firm pays these expenses up front and these are repaid with your recovery. Some personal injury attorneys in Wisconsin make you pay costs as such expenses are incurred, but the firm does not.

Question: Do you use a written fee agreement confirming employment?

Answer: Yes.

Question: Have you ever been admonished or cited by a Bar Association or Court for ethics violations?

Answer: No.

Question: Have you ever been sued for malpractice or have any malpractice claims, formal or informal, been brought against you?

Answer: No. The firm is admitted to practice in Wisconsin but personal injury attorneys in Wisconsin may practice in other states on a temporary or pro hac vice basis, which is why Attorney Pasternak has been involved cases in Arkansas, California, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Nevada, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas and Utah. Also see Law firm bio.

Answer: Yes. Ask and we will provide you the names of attorneys, lawyers, and/or clients we have worked with in the past in personal injury and wrongful death cases. One former client is WISN’s Bob Dolan.

Question: Do you refer work to other attorneys in other areas of the law?

Answer: Yes. Since the firm’s focus is limited, we often refer past, future and potential clients to other attorneys in Wisconsin who focus in the area of their needs. For example, the firm frequently refers cases to Wisconsin workers compensation lawyers and Wisconsin probate attorneys for wills, estates, & trusts.

If you wish to know whether the firm can help with a Wisconsin personal injury or wrongful death case, please call (262) 785-0802 or send email to attorney@frankpasternak.com. Wisconsin attorneys may only practice law in Wisconsin. Personal injury attorneys in Wisconsin may however work at no added fee or expense with personal injury attorneys and wrongful death attorneys outside Wisconsin and Wisconsin attorneys may be admitted to practice on a temporary basis outside Wisconsin. Thus, the firm may help with Wisconsin Personal Injury cases and potentially with cases outside Wisconsin. All inquiries are free and without obligation. In addition, the firm works with out-of-state attorneys needing local counsel and pro hac vice admission to practice in Wisconsin personal injury matters.